Clothes hangers, for holding garments or the like, come in many shapes and sizes...but each typically has some form of lower cross member, adapted to cooperate with the item to be held; and an upper curved hook portion, adapted to be supported over a bar in a closet, garment or display rack, or the like. Metal hook portions, for conventional wire hangers and for more expensive suit hangers having wood or plastic cross members, typically are formed of relatively small cross-section wires, between 0.05-0.15 of an inch in diameter. Plastic hangers have larger plastic hook portions, typically between 0.15-0.35 of an inch diameter in cross-section. As the hook portion need not be made of cylindrical shape, but can be of a rectangular or any irregular shape, such sizes are given only for reference.
The upper hook portion may typically be curved over about a half circle, being downwardly, with one end blending into a vertically oriented stem extended downwardly to the cross member; and, at the other end terminating at a free point spaced from the stem. The hook portion ends may be spaced apart by perhaps between 11/2 and 2 inches, to fit over most support bars in closets, clothing or display racks, or the like.
Depending on the shape of the stem portion, immediately below the hook portion, the hook portion may be curved over perhaps 165.degree.-200.degree..
To carry one of such hangers, one grips the hook portion, typically with the index and middle fingers, as the curve of the hook portion is too small to grip otherwise. However, the thin hook portion, depending on the weight carried, can create significant pressure against the fingers, to cause discomfort and/or even cut into the fingers. Moreover, the free pointed end of the hook portion is there to dig into the skin, causing added discomfort and/or injury.
When several such hangers are carried at one time, the above-mentioned problems quickly mount. Particular notice of this can be taken in carrying a relatively large load of dry cleaning, consisting of possibly four or more thin wire hangers.
Garment bags of the type having hook portions, like a hanger, only somewhat larger, also are of interest to this invention. Even though the garment bar hanger has a hook portion curved over a much larger curvature, to fit across the palm of the hand, it still is formed of generally small wire, less than 0.2 inch in diameter. Some difficulty may still exist in carrying such a garment bag, as one frequently loads too much weight in the bag, to have the cutting pressure of the curved hook portion increase correspondingly. Also, it is not uncommon to carry separate garments in the bag, each on its own hanger of conventional style; thus having many hook portions project from the garment bag, next to the garment bag hook portion. However, as the conventional hanger hook portions are shaped differently from the garment hook portion, such hook portions line up differently. The same cutting or poking problems of the many hangers can occur, as discussed above.
Yet again, automobile passenger compartments frequently have an upwardly extended finger or hook typically lined up near the center of the rear side window, onto which the hook portion of a hanger, garment bag, or the like can be hung. As the size and spacing of the hook is small . . . generally less than 0.5 inch in length and in spacing laterally from the frame . . . only a few metal hangers, and perhaps only a single plastic hanger can be hung on the hook at one time.